Welcome

Sunday, December 15, 2013

A Command Decision

So there's going to be a slight change in things around Writing About Writing--at least in regards to Facebook.

For about the past year I've been trying to bolster our numbers here at Writing About Writing in any one of a dozen ways, and one of the things that I've discovered is that while I greatly enjoy doing the "plot arcs" with guest bloggers and ongoing shenanigans, those posts don't do particularly well when shared on social media. They tend to be something that only those following the blog pretty closely really like.

Facebook is a strange beast. Writing About Writing's Facebook page now has over 3000 followers, and has the greatest potential of all the social media I use. (Stumbleupon is fabulous, but has a glass ceiling unless there something is just going viral.) However, Facebook is also where I'm constantly trying to do jazz hands to keep the page interesting and entertaining and not just a cross post of blog stuff. Almost every waking hour I'm posting some macro, meme, comic, pun, riddle, or writer's quote. That's probably why I have three thousand people (instead of just three) who might click a link to an interesting article.

But who probably won't click to find out that Cedric and The SciGuy have found dozens of missing articles in the wake of the computer attack by the Mystery Guest Blogger--which I think is hilarious and love writing about.

The catch is that since I am only posting a couple of links to Writing About Writing each day on Facebook (amidst a gush of other content to keep the place compelling) each post feels like it really needs to "count." Posting plot arc articles on media where there isn't a dedicated following is basically just ensuring that a "slot" that I could be using for something much more popular is being wasted.

I've noticed in the last few months that I've often forgone a "plot arc" post for something else just because I knew the former wouldn't do well on Facebook. But I kind of miss them, and I sort of feel like they've been a real part of the flavor here.

So I'm not going to share them on FB anymore. I will just be sharing the more popular articles that drum up views.

What this means if you're on Facebook:

1- You won't get every update. If you want to get every last W.A.W. update, you will have to subscribe, follow the blog through Google/Blogger, sign up for e-mail notifications, subscribe to an RSS feed, or follow Writing About Writing (or me) on G+.

2- I may cycle through the "reruns" a little faster on Facebook. Days I write a plot arc post would end up being "double rerun" days. I have two years of writing and growing, and it takes MONTHS to cycle through the whole batch of reruns and go back to the beginning, but it will happen faster.

1 comment:

I do love your blog, but if I may: the layout looks very cluttered, and it makes it difficult to focus on the content. Perhaps this is something worth looking at? Also, on my 1200x800 screen, I have to sideways scroll to get to properly access the right-hand column.

About the Author

Chris Brecheen is just this guy who loves to write. He's been doing it for thirty years, and even got a degree in Creative Writing that now covers a hole in his drywall. These days he focuses his pretentious, hackneyed tripe on this blog, which is two teaspoons magical journey, one cup of advice given as satire, a dash of talking cat, a splash of personified ideals, a (very) healthy dollop of pervy candor, eight heaping tablespoons of toeing the knife-edge line between irreverence and blasphemy, diced guest bloggers who live inside his head (and a couple who don't), a sprinkle of words used pretty much with the express intention of keeping prudes offended in perpetuity, regular Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly references, at least one doomsday plot per season, and a slice of pressed milk curd provided by the weird guy who lives on the third floor. Add three or four sprigs of social justice and simmer.

Best Contemporary Sci-fi

Support Writing About Writing

Become a Patron!I NEED YOUR HELP!
Do you enjoy this blog? Do you think it's worth 3 cents a day? Do you want to see more and better articles? Are you getting hours of entertainment a month and want to know how to support the creator? Want to help me not need fifteen side gigs to make ends meet? Want to keep this space ad free?
As little as a SINGLE dollar a month will get you votes in patron-only polls, backchannel chats with other patrons, and my ear when it comes to future projects. And of course will support my ongoing writing efforts.
Become a Patron!